Media Release by Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens

Australian Government to provide $11 million to charitable and non-profit organisations

Joint Media Release with:

  • The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Deputy Prime Minister
  • The Hon Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

The Australian Government is providing $11 million to charitable and non-profit organisations to enable them to continue to deliver valuable community services to the disadvantaged during the economic downturn.

Last week, a report commissioned by the Government and undertaken by the Centre for Corporate Public Affairs – Impact of the economic downturn on not-for-profit organisation management – revealed that more Australians under financial pressure are turning to community organisations for help.

At the same time, these organisations are experiencing a reduction in investment income, corporate funding and support from philanthropic trusts and foundations.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin and Parliamentary Secretary for the Voluntary Sector, Ursula Stephens, today announced Temporary Financial Assistance grants to 37 organisations through the Australian Government’s Jobs Fund.

The Jobs Fund is a $650 million Australian Government initiative to support, create or retain jobs and increase skills through innovative projects that build community infrastructure and increase social capital in local communities across the country.

Temporary Financial Assistance grants are provided under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. It will support charitable and non-profit organisations that have experienced a decrease in donations in the current economic downturn.

The funding from the Temporary Financial Assistance grants will assist a variety of organisations including:

  • The Australian Red Cross whose nation-wide work assists people with mental illness.
  • Cystic Fibrosis Queensland which provides vital services to people with cystic fibrosis.
  • Jesuit Social Services which runs the Abbotsford Biscuits Kitchen, providing employment for disadvantaged young people.

Temporary Financial Assistance

Under the Australian Government’s $650 million jobs fund

Activate Australia (Victoria) will receive $60,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will assist in the operation of Activate Australia’s Leadership Development Programs, which provide support and development training for disadvantaged youth in regions such as Broadmeadows, Victoria.

Association for the Blind of WA (Western Australia) will receive $150,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This will enable the Association for the Blind of WA to retain four technical staff in Burswood, Western Australia, and help continue their Assistive Technology Support program.

Australian Red Cross Society (national) will receive $1 million Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. As a result of this funding Australian Red Cross Society can continue their nation-wide community based work, particularly in the area of mental health.

Barnardos Australia (New South Wales) will receive funding of $180,555 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. Barnardos Australia will use this funding to continue operating a community development program on the Bundaleer public housing estate in Wollongong, New South Wales.

Challenge Southern Highlands Inc (New South Wales) will receive $158,400 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will allow Challenge Southern Highlands Inc to continue operating their Welby Garden Centre, which offers training and employment opportunities for people with disability. In addition, the funding will allow the organisation to retain 16 support staff.

Crossroads Community Services Inc and Crossroads Community Church Inc (New South Wales) will receive $100,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will assist Crossroads Community Services Inc to continue providing services to disadvantaged youth and the long-term unemployed in the Greater Blacktown Area.

Cystic Fibrosis Queensland (Queensland) will receive $255,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will assist Cystic Fibrosis Queensland to continue the operation of their Cairns and Sunshine Coast offices, which sustain vital services to people with Cystic Fibrosis.

Epilepsy Association (Epilepsy Action Australia) (national) will receive $900,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. As a result of this funding Epilepsy Action Australia will continue providing support services for people with epilepsy and their families. This funding will help provide for the increased demand and cost of services provided by Epilepsy Action Australia.

Fitted for Work Ltd (Victoria) will receive $85,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This will allow Fitted for Work Ltd to continue helping job seekers, especially women, to find work.

Jesuit Social Services (Victoria) will receive $372,448 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will allow Jesuit Social Services to continue running the Abbotsford Biscuits Kitchen in Burnley, East Melbourne, which provides employment for highly disadvantaged young people.

KIDS Foundation (Victoria) will receive $176,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The KIDS Foundation will use this funding to continue delivering programs relating to the prevention and treatment of serious injuries in children.

Life Changing Experiences Foundation (New South Wales and Victoria) will receive $109,892 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will allow the Life Changing Experiences Foundation to continue a mentoring program which assists vulnerable teenage women in Metropolitan Sydney and Melbourne who have suffered traumatic experiences including violence, abuse and neglect.

Odyssey House McGrath Foundation (New South Wales) will receive $270,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The Odyssey House McGrath Foundation will use the funding to provide services in the Sydney metropolitan area to young adults, parents and their children who have been adversely affected by alcohol and drugs.

ParaQuad Victoria (Victoria) will receive $230,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of Jobs Fund. This will allow the organisation to provide case management, accommodation and support services to people with physical disability in Greensborough, Victoria.

SIDS and Kids Western Australia (Western Australia) will receive $107,650 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. Through this funding SIDS and Kids Western Australia will continue providing free counselling and peer service to people following the death of a child. They will also be able to continue providing education activities to reduce the risk of infants dying of SIDS. The funding will also enable the service to assist people in the remote regions of Western Australia.

Smith Family (national) will receive $1 million Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This will enable the Smith Family’s Learning for Life Program to continue to support 7,000 primary school students.

Teen Challenge NSW Inc (New South Wales) will receive $600,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will allow Teen Challenge NSW Inc to continue to provide rehabilitation and treatment services to young men aged 16 to 25 in Hawkesbury, New South Wales.

The Fatherhood Project Inc (New South Wales) will receive $25,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The Fatherhood Project Inc will continue to provide support for fathers and families in the Mullumbimby area.

The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) through Wesley Mission (New South Wales) will receive $1 million Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will assist Wesley Mission to provide a range of essential services such as Lifeline and Disability Accommodation Support to communities across New South Wales.

Time for Kids Incorporated (South Australia) will receive $150,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. Through this funding Time for Kids Incorporated will continue to offer children in Beulah Park, South Australia, positive experiences and respite care, while preventing at-risk children from becoming involved in crime.

Trustees of the Catholic Church, Diocese of Wollongong (New South Wales) will receive $200,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of Jobs Fund. This funding will allow the Trustees of the Catholic Church to retain the services of up to 19 ongoing employees in Wollongong and continue supporting children suffering from parental separation.

YMCA of Perth Youth and Community Service Inc (Western Australia) will receive $500,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will allow the YMCA of Perth Youth and Community Services Inc to continue the Young Offenders retraining program in Perth.

Youth Enterprise Limited as Trustee of Youth Enterprise Trust (Queensland) will receive $194,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. Youth Enterprise Limited will use their funding to continue their work in Tamborine, Gold Coast, to give young people the personal tools to tackle life confidently and take responsibility for their actions so that they can make a contribution to their future and the wider community.

Youth Focus Inc (Western Australia) will receive $350,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This will enable Youth Focus Inc to continue their vital services in the prevention of suicide, self-harm and depression in youth aged 12 to 18 years in Kwinana, Rockingham and Mandurah, Western Australia.

Armadale Noongar Corporation (Western Australia) will receive $150,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will allow the Armadale Noongar Corporation to continue to operate their training, youth and social enterprise project. The funding will also allow the organisation to retain staff and continue to develop skills and training for disadvantaged youth, including Indigenous Australians, in Armadale, Western Australia.

Doxa Youth Foundation (Victoria) will receive $288,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will allow Doxa Youth Foundation to continue its City Camp Experience in Melbourne.

Healthy Cities Illawarra Incorporated (New South Wales) will receive $49,500 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will allow Healthy Cities Illawarra Incorporated to continue their childrens breakfast programs in the Illawarra region.

Inspire Foundation (national) will receive $700,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will allow the Inspire Foundation to continue its mental health and wellbeing program throughout Australia.

Jewish Care (New South Wales) will receive $131,500 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. Funding will assist Jewish Care to operate their domestic violence and family support services throughout New South Wales.

SANE Australia (Victoria) will receive $200,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will support the SANE Helpline which provides assistance for people affected by mental illness, not available through other national help lines.

St Vincent De Paul Society (New South Wales) will receive $400,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will allow St Vincent De Paul Society to refurbish the Kennedy House Homeless Men’s Service shelter and continue education programs for this vulnerable group through the Clemente Program.

Strategic Community Assistance to Refugee Families (New South Wales) will receive $24,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will support the Strategic Community Assistance to Refugee Families community and training centre in Wollongong.

Technical Aid to the Disabled NSW (New South Wales) will receive $94,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. Funding will allow Technical Aid to the Disabled in Sydney to continue operating their computer support service, which provides volunteers to refurbish donated computers to be sold at a discount to people with disability.

Typo Station Limited (trading as Evolve at Typo Station) (Victoria) will receive $250,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will allow Typo Station Limited to continue its program tailored for 14 to 17 year old young men who are at risk of leaving school early, criminal behaviour, juvenile detention, homelessness, mental illness, long-term unemployment and community disengagement in the Goulburn-Ovens-Murray region.

Wesley Mission Melbourne (Victoria) will receive $180,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. Through this funding Wesley Mission will continue to provide vital community services in Melbourne.

Youth Insearch Foundation Inc (New South Wales) will receive $200,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. This funding will allow Youth Insearch Foundation Inc to continue running camps for youth.

Whitelion Incorporated (Victoria) will receive $145,000 Temporary Financial Assistance under the Get Communities Working stream of the Jobs Fund. The funding will enable Whitelion Incorporated to maintain essential outreach, mentoring and vocational holistic employment programs to highly disadvantaged young people in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.